


Courting a Princess

by orphan_account



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-23
Updated: 2013-04-23
Packaged: 2017-12-09 06:22:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/771018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bolin meets Eska at the Southern Water Tribe Festival.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courting a Princess

The Southern Water Tribe was cold. Yeah, that was the understatement of the year. Of course Korra could handle it because she was from here and his no good brother had his lousy firebending to warm him right up. Where did that leave Bolin? It left him freezing his rocks off with only little Pabu for a makeshift scarf.

It was nice to finally meet Korra's family, though. Man were they buff! Both her father and Uncle looked like they could bench press two of him and still have muscle to spare. And the festival was romantic. Everyone was cuddling up to a significant other. Korra's parents, Korra and Mako…

That left poor little Bolin with no loving. But yeah, he was a cool guy. He didn't hold a grudge. But it would be nice to have someone to warm up with in the tent tonight.

And that was when Korra's cousins were introduced. Twins. Princess Eska and her brother Desna.

Eska. The moment he saw her, he knew immediately that she was polar opposites from Korra. The way were eyes had a cold look to them could cause people to misread her as an ice queen. But Bolin had always prided himself in his ability to read people. The way her face showed little to no emotion told him that she was hiding something. He wanted to find out. It shouldn't be a problem for a lady's man like Bolin, right?

He walks off to find Korra and finds her cozying up to Mako. Urgh. He taps her on the shoulder and she turns around embarrassed.

"Bolin! What are you doing here?"

"Sorry to interrupt." Not really. "But I was wondering if you could introduce me to your cousin. The female one!"

"Eska?" Her face contorts in confusion. "I don't know Bolin. Eska isn't what I'd exactly call a people person."

"Please!" He begged.

"Bolin I don't think you should bother her. She looks pretty busy."

He casts a look in her direction and sees her sitting by Chief Unaloq looking bored. Desna mouths a few words to her and she sighs.

"Yeah, pretty busy."

Korra finally relents and pulls him by the arm to where her cousin and Uncle sit. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

She shoves him up onto the podium where he gets doggedly looked upon by the two twins. Unaloq jumps up and embraces Korra into his arms.

"There's my favorite niece!" He spins her around. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh, you know; just saving the world and junk."

Her uncle laughs and slaps her on the back. He then rests his eyes on Bolin. "Who's this timid looking fellow here?"

Okay. That was a pretty accurate description.

"This is my friend, Bolin. He's helped me out of a few rough spots. And I wanted him to meet you guys."

This was his queue. Try not to mess up!

"Hello, Onarock, sir. I mean Unaloq! Chief Unaloq! And you must be Eska and Densa. Desna!"

Crap. The twins give each other a quick glance. Unaloq roars with laughter.

"He's not very bright, is he?"

Korra laughs and places a hand on his shoulder. "He's just nervous."

"Well I can provoke that in people." He holds out his hand to Bolin. And he takes it. "Welcome to the Southern Water Tribe my friend. Any friend of Korra is welcome here."

"Thank you, sir."

Unaloq and Korra promptly leave after that, leaving him alone with Eska and Desna. She was even more beautiful up close.

"So you're a princess, huh? That's pretty neat. I've never met royalty before."

The twins look at each other again like they are communicating telepathically. Maybe they can…

"And it's pretty here! I've never been outside Republic City. You should go. Just watch out for the hobos and crime lords and whatnot."

No! Wait, that's not what he wanted to say…

"Sounds lovely," Desna says.

It was the first word the boy had spoken and he had a surprisingly deep voice for his appearance.

"Maybe you can give me a tour, Eska. I get turned around easily."

She starts to say something but her brother cuts her off. "She's busy, today."

"Oh, okay. Well that's fine. I understand. She is a princess." Yeah, he was a little disappointed.

Unaloq suddenly calls and the twins dismiss their selves. So much for Bolin being fresh and juicy…

Desna stops walking and gives his sister a deep once over. Was she blushing? Was she actually attracted to that bumbling buffoon?

"Sister, are you thinking about that earth bender?"

Never having been one to deny things, she gives him an honest answer.

"Yes, brother, I am. He was a little charming."

Disgust pools in his stomach. "He was an idiot."

"Maybe; but he is different from everyone else around here."

They walk in silence for a few moments before Eska speaks again. "Maybe I can give him that tour, after all."

Desna sighs. He knew where this was going. And never being one to deny his sister anything, he knew he was going to agree.

"Meet in our chamber tonight. We'll do the usual."

The usual meant swapping places. The twins stripped down to their bindings and became each other. Eska would bind her brother and place purple shadow over his eyelids. She would spread kohl over his eyelashes to hide the square maleness of his bone structure. Then Eska would remove her beads and do her brothers hair. It was exactly the same length so no one could ever tell the difference.

They had been doing this ever since they were kids. Their father could never tell since they looked and acted so similarly. Eska darns Desna's robes, and Desna, hers.

Before she can leave, though, he grabs her hand.

"Do me a favor, sister."

"What?"

"Confuse him a little."

Bolin had no idea where he was at. There was snow. And some ice. And when he turned around, more snow and ice. Pabu was shivering on top of his head.

"Is this how we're going to go out, buddy? As popsicles?"

He wanders around aimlessly a bit more until he spots a hooded figure.

"Hey!" He calls out. "I'm lost!"

As the figure draws closer, he recognizes the form of Desna. He jogs over to thankfully and throws his arm around the small boy.

"Oh thank you! I thought we would parish!"

The figure tenses up and Bolin pushes out of the embrace.

"Sorry! Just a little relieved is all."

"You're cold." Desna responds. "Let me take you back to camp."

Camp turned out not to be too far away and Bolin was mentally cursing himself for getting lost for so long. Desna spoons him out some noodles, which he takes gratefully.

The slurping sounds can be heard throughout the tent and he swears Desna is smiling at him. Just a little.

"These are good noodles!" He declares. "Better than Narooks."

"Who?"

He swallows. "Narook owns a restaurant back in Republic City. He sells water tribe food there. My favorite."

"I'm glad you think ours is better."

An awkward silence settles over them as both sip their noodles. He can't help but notice how delicate Desna's hands look. He slurps so feminine, too. He can almost imagine that he was eating with Eska…

"You have very pretty hands."

Desna's noodles clatter out of his hands and Bolin just suddenly realizes the magnitude of what he has just said.

"I-I meant that they look very smooth! I mean I can't help but notice because we're so close. No! I'm not attracted to you at all! I like your sister more! Wait, no I don't! Well, yes I do but I didn't mean to say it."

He keeps rambling on until he feels a light peck on his cheek. He blushes furiously. He was handsome but he never knew that his looks could have such an effect.

"Desna do you-?"

"I'm Eska, you idiot."

Oh. Well that explains a lot.

"Why are you dressed up like your brother? I mean I'm glad you are, but I'm a little confused right now."

"He's at a council meeting where Princess Eska is supposed to be."

"Oh. Do you do this often?"

"Yes. Desna and I are close. We would do anything for each other."

Even make Desna dress up in drag? If he were a girl, would Mako do that for him?

"I wanted to give you that tour."

He notices that Eska is blushing. And suddenly his nerves melt away like the snow in summer time. He knew she was hiding something underneath her exterior. He decides to pull out his mightiest Bolin charm.

"Well, my lady, you can start by showing me where the bathroom is. Being outside really did a number on my bladder."

She gives him a strange look, then points outside.

"The Southern Tribe isn't as advanced as the North, so there are only ice boxes out here that we use."

Oh, great. He starts to head outside, but he feels a tug on his hand.

"I'll have to lead you there. It can get hard to see in a blizzard."

They head outside where Eska doesn't let go of his hand the whole way. Yeah, almost freezing to death was worth it.


End file.
